Device for humidifying corn

ABSTRACT

A device for moistening grain or the like, including a disc for receiving grain and water at high pressure; a centrifugal plate, which rotates rapidly disposed beneath the receiving disc and having a perforated screen surrounding the rotor so as to remove water while entrapping grain; a vertical series of the centrifugal plates, in each of which the grain is centrifuged and from which the grain falls to the next level beneath, until the grain is finally removed from the device.

United States Patent [191 Palyi DEVICE FOR HUMIDIFYING CORN [76] Inventor: Leslie Palyi, 23 Larabee Cres., Don

Mills, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: July 16, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 163,371

[52] US. Cl. 99/516 [51] Int. Cl B011 7/16 [58] Field of Search 99/236, 235 RR, 235 A,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1941 Bonotto 99/235 A 4/1969 Evans l/1916 Barker 99/237 R 1 3,747,511 1 July 24, 1973 3,158,358 11/1964 Fischer ..259/8X Primary Examiner-Robert W. Jenkins Attorney Samuel Ostrolenk, Robert C. Faber et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A device for moistening grain or the like, including a disc for receiving grain and water at high pressure; a centrifugal plate, which rotates rapidly disposed beneath the receiving disc and having a perforated screen surrounding the rotor so as to remove water while entrapping grain; a vertical series of the centrifugal plates, in each of which the grain is centrifuged and from which the grain falls to the next level beneath, until the grain is finally removed from the device.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing; Figures PATENTEB JUL 24 4975 Wen/or; 1551/5 7%! V/ DEVICE FOR HUMIDIFYING CORN The invention relates to a device for the humidifying of corn, more particularly of corn for feeding purposes. The moistening of corn constitutes the preferred application, though the invention is not limited to this and the device in accordance with the invention can also be used for the moistening of other materials, more particularly of bulk materials in the form of grains.

The invention is based upon the discovery that the utilization of feed stuffs and/or the appetite of animals is substantially improved and increased when the grain is fed with a certain humidity content.

In order to attain the success aimed at, it is necessary to achieve an extremely precise moistening of all individual grains, this not being possible by a simple mixing of corn and water in the desired percent proportion.

The invention is therefore based upon the aim of providing a device which ensures an ideally even moistening of all corn grains in an even manner.

In accordance with the invention this aim is attained in that a centrifuge is provided with an upper supply disc for grain and high pressure water and with at least one further underlying centrifugal plate, which is provided with a stationary perforated screen surrounding the rotor stages.

It has been found that centrifugal action can achieve a particularly favorable distribution of liquid, wich leads to an even wetting with the necessary degree of wetting. The evenness of wetting can be improved by increasing the number of superposed stages further, in each stage superfluous water or quantities of moisture being removed via the perforated screen surrounding the rotor, the quantities of water not being returned to the working procedure.

In order to ensure that the outwardly thrown wetted grains are passed to the underlying stage in its middle section, funnels are provided, whose steepness is so chosen having regard to the centrifugal speed that the grain can flow downwards under gravity through the funnel. As a peripheral speed for the centrifugal discs it has been found convenient for example to use a speed of greater than 50 m per second, for example a speed of 80 m per second with a total diameter of 400 mm to 1000 mm of the centrifuge;

The centrifugal discs of the superposed stages are formed by plates, whose curvature is so dimensioned that the grain to be moistened is thrown outwards at the centrifugal speed over the plate edge outwardly, impinges against the screen and falls via the funnel into the next stage.

Both the supply of water and als of grain can be adjusted or set after the moistening device. In this respect the water can be sprayed in the form ofa high pressure water jet into the current of corn supplied or can also be supplied in the form of steam, hot water or in a spray which is cold or hot.

The humidifying device in accordance with the invention further has the advantage of avoiding the formation of clumps in the grains, because such clumps break up owing to the pulsed effect so that as an output product a readily flowing material is obtained. As an output product a corn with a water content in the husks of 3 percent maximum has been found convenient. The exact percentage can be fed at a desired value with a high degree of accuracy by the percentage supply of water on the one hand and on the other hand by adjusting the speed or rotation.

The lower output end of the centrifuge can be provided with a screw conveyer, although the latter is not an essential part. It is also possible to provide, for radial removal, a blower wheel.

In what follows an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawing.

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a centrifuge in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a section on the line I]j-II of FIG. 1.

The centrifuge consists of an outer casing 10 and an inner casing 12 in the form of a cylindrical perforated screen. The motor-driven vertical shaft 14 carries in the upper section a material supply disc 16 and underneath it in several stages centrifugal plates 18 and 20. It is also possible to provide more than two such centrifugal plates.

The receiving plate 16 and the centrifuging discs 18 and 20 are, as can be seen from the drawing, perforated over their whole faces. Between the supply disc 16 and the underlying centrifugal plate 18, and between the latter and the underlying centrifugal plate 20, guide funnels 22 are arranged which are connected rigidly with the housing and which in their upper broadened out part are connected with the cylindrical screen 12 while their lower narrow parts end above the center of the underlying centrifugal plate 18 and 20 respectively.

Above the supply disc 16 a supply tube 24 with a metering flap 26 is provided for the supply of the grain. The supply tube possesses a lower guide part 28, which causes corn entering in the direction of the arrow A to be passed radially from the outside in an inward direction towards the supply disc 16. In the direction of the arrow B water is supplied to a water injecting device 29. This water preparing device 29 causes water to pass via a radially arranged supply tube 30 in the form of a high pressure jet, a spray jet, steam jet, or in another convenient form of distribution, onto the supply disc or receiving disc 16 the jet passing through the corn supplied through the tube 28.

The edge or rim of the supply or receiving disc 16 is drawn or bent downwards and cooperates with the underlying funnel 22 in forming an annular gap 32 whose breadth a is to be dimensioned suitably. In the case of a diameter d of the machine of approximately 400 mm and a peripheral speed of the supply or receiving disc of m/sec., this gap can have a breadth of approximately 25 mm.

Below the last centrifugal stage 20 there extends from the centrifugal shaft 14 a helical surface 34 extending preferably over 360, which has a certain timing function because it conveys the corn arriving on it upwards again, so that it is partially thrown outwards again. Between the outer edge of the helical face and the perforated screen 12 an annular gap is present, through which the corn can fall onto an underlying funnel 36, which causes it to pass under gravity into a lower chamber 38, in which a blower wheel 40 (FIG. 2) rotates, which conveys the moistened grain radially outwards to an outlet 42, from which it is drawn in the direction of the arrow D. The superfluous water collecting in the annular chamber 44 between the outer casing 10 and the inner screen 12 is drawn out of the lower opening 46 in the direction of the arrow C.

The screw conveyor 34 and the blower wheel 40 do not constitute essential components of the device. Instead of this the device can be equiped also with a lower removing funnel, which is connected with the lower rotor stage, and passes the moistened material to a central opening.

The subject matter of the present application, the centrifugal moistening apparatus, can preferably be arranged in a processing plant for the preparation of 5 grain for feeding purposes, as is described in the patent application of the applicant Ser. No. 163,351, filed July 16, 1971, entitled Method and Device for the Processing of Com for Feeding Purposes", filed simultaneously with the present application.

A particular advantage of the device in accordance with the invention also resides in that owing to the moistening procedure the corn is simultaneously subjected to a washing effect, the particles to be washed away passing outwards and being removed by the cylindrical screen, while the centrifugal stages operate upon corn which becomes increasingly cleaner.

A further advantage of the device in accordance with the invention resides in that owing to the device the grain is treated in a particularly favorable manner for further use in dehusking machines or cleaning machines, in particular machines in accordance with the construction given in the German patent application P 19 38 328.9-23, for which a corresponding application has been filed by the inventor herein in the U.S.A., Ser. No. 58,798, filed July 28, 1970, entitled Treating Cereal Grains and Seeds, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,200.

I claim:

1. A device for the moistening of grain for feeding purposes comprising a centrifuge, which includes a vertically disposed cylindrical perforated drum within which is positiond a support shaft; at least one centrifuging plate; each said plate is attached to said shaft to be rotated by said shaft; beneath each said plate is a funnel, which tapers gradually narrower downwardly and which has an upper outer edge that adjoins the interior of said drum and is spaced away from said plate to form an annular gap between the periphery of said plate above that said funnel, and which has a lower inner edge that feeds grain to any plate therebeneath;

a supply tube for grain; said grain supply tube having an outlet extending into said drum; and directed radially inwardly toward said shaft and above the uppermost said plate;

a supply tube for supplying water under pressure; said water supply tube having at least one nozzle outlet opening in said drum also projecting radially inward toward said shaft and said outlet opening being positioned adjacent said outlet of said grain supply tube and so positioned that water sprays over the grain exiting from the grain supply tube outlet just as the grain exits therefrom.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each said centrifugal plate lying under the uppermost said plate is upwardly concave.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each said plate is perforated.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said grain supply tube is provided with a guide face for guiding the grain inwards.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein in said grain supply tube a flow metering flap-is incorporated.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the water leaving said tube is in the form of one of a high pressure jet, an atomized form, a sprayed form or a steam form.

7. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein under the last said plate a screw conveyor surface is provided as a timing device.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein on the bottom of said cylindrical drum a blower wheel is provided which conveys the moistened grain to a radially outwardly lying exit.

9. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said drum is perforated and is in a surrounding casing; water passing through said drum into said outer casing is drawn off via a lower opening in said casing. 

1. A device for the moistening of grain for feeding purposes comprising a centrifuge, which includes a vertically disposed cylindrical perforated drum within which is positiond a support shaft; at least one centrifuging plate; each said plate is attached to said shaft to be rotated by said shaft; beneath each said plate is a funnel, which tapers gradually narrower downwardly and which has an upper outer edge that adjoins the interior of said drum and is spaced away from said plate to form an annular gap between the periphery of said plate above that said funnel, and which has a lower inner edge that feeds grain to any plate therebeneath; a supply tube for grain; said grain supply tube having an outlet extending into said drum; and directed radially inwardly toward said shaft and above the uppermost said plate; a supply tube for supplying water under pressure; said water supply tube having at least one nozzle outlet opening in said drum also projecting radially inward toward said shaft and said outlet opening being positioned adjacent said outlet of said grain supply tube and so positioned that water sprays over the grain exiting from the grain supply tube outlet just as the grain exits therefrom.
 2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each said centrifugal plate lying under the uppermost said plate is upwardly concave.
 3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each said plate is perforated.
 4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said grain supply tube is provided with a guide face for guiding the grain inwards.
 5. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein in said grain supply tube a flow metering flap is incorporated.
 6. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the water leaving said tube is in the form of one of a high pressure jet, an atomized form, a sprayed form or a steam form.
 7. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein under the last said plate a screw conveyor surface is provided as a timing device.
 8. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein on the bottom of said cylindrical drum a blower wheel is provided which conveys the moistened grain to a radially outwardly lying exit.
 9. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said drum is perforated and is in a surrounding casing; water passing through said drum into said outer casing is drawn off via a lower opening in said casing. 